Sex Work Reimagined: Motivations in the Platform Era

The emergence of digital platforms in recent years has drastically changed the nature of sex work by making it possible for people to create content independently. Platforms like OnlyFans provide a meeting point between digital media, entrepreneurship, and sex work. With an emphasis on this platform, this study explores the reasons why people decide to engage in independent digital sex work on subscription-based platforms, and it is driven by the following research question: what drives digital sex workers to choose an independent business model? Seven participants, all of whom are active OnlyFans creators, participated in semi-structured interviews as part of the study. Six main themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews: 1) autonomy and control, 2) financial incentives, 3) platform affordances and accessibility, 4) visibility, empowerment, and identity, 5) community and social connection, and 6) navigating risks and precarity. Results generally indicate that participants appreciate the independence that this type of work offers, especially when it comes to self-management, creative freedom, and flexibility. Additionally, although not always the main one, financial incentives were pointed out as an important factor. In addition to navigating obstacles, participants also expressed strong feelings of empowerment through identity expression, creative autonomy, and community building. Their experiences show how digital sex work has the power to revolutionise traditional notions of identity and labour by challenging and blurring conventional dichotomies, such as empowerment versus exploitation and autonomy versus vulnerability. Through first-hand experiences of the possibilities and challenges of independent content creation in this industry, this study adds to the expanding literature and research on digital labour, sex work, and platform economies. It also emphasises the necessity of more comprehensive labour protections and public education. The results support the acceptance of digital sex work as valid labour and shed light on the various motivators that drive people to participate in this growing and more common type of employment.